Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been charged with improper conduct and/or bringing the game into disrepute after he accused a linesman of lying following the brawl at the end of the League Cup final last month.

The Football Association made the announcement on its Web site (www.thefa.com) on Thursday, adding that Wenger has until March 30 to respond to the charge.

Wenger was angry with the dismissal of Emmanuel Adebayor, one of three players sent off at the end of the game, won 2-1 by Chelsea.

Speaking in the days following the match he said: "I don't agree with the report of the linesman because, for me, he lies."

Wenger, who has already been punished twice this season for disrepute offences, refused to retract his claim though he did say his command of English might have been to blame and he meant to imply that what the linesman said was "wrong and untrue."

"I speak my own mind and I am honest and in this we have been treated very badly and without any respect. It is wrong," said the Frenchman.

"You can say what you want but what happened is that what he (the linesman) said was not true and we are being punished for something that we did not do."

The FA also charged Wigan Athletic manager Paul Jewell with improper conduct and/or bringing the game into disrepute for comments he made about the referee after last month's match against Arsenal. He, too, has until March 30 to respond.